Phonics vs. Whole Language

Phonics vs. Whole Language
By:
Rebecca Kramer & Jenna Holland
The ongoing debate…
• Which is the best way to
teach a child to read?
Phonics
or
Whole Language
What’s the difference?
Phonics• children are taught to dissect unfamiliar words
into parts and then join the parts together to
form words.
• By learning these letter-sound relationships the
student is provided with a decoding formula
that can be applied whenever they encounter an
unfamiliar word.
Whole Language
• With whole language, teachers are expected to
provide a literacy rich environment for their
students and to combine speaking, listening,
reading, and writing.
• Whole language teachers emphasize the meaning
of texts over the sounds of letters, and phonics
instruction becomes just one component of the
whole language classroom.
• Whole language is considered a "top down“
approach where the reader constructs a
personal meaning for a text, based on using
their prior knowledge to interpret the
meaning of what they are reading.
Pros for a Phonics
based Program
• Builds better pronunciation and word
recognition
• Formulas can be applied again and
again
• Will help children with spelling far
more than the memorization and
guesswork of whole language
Cons for a Phonics
based Program
• A child may have difficulty
understanding the full meaning of a
text, due to the constant breaking
down of words into parts
• The rules and rote learning it entails
are stifling and may cause children to
develop the attitude that reading is a
chore
Pros for a Whole
Language based Program
• Provides a better understanding of the
text, and a more interesting and creative
approach to reading
• More emphasis on meaning and
comprehension and less emphasis on
phonics
• Children memorize large numbers of sight
words
• Children learn to read by reading
Cons for a Whole
Language based Program
• Whole Language learning may come at
the expense of accuracy and
correctness
• Ex. A child may be awarded high
marks for “overall language use,” even
if he or she has misspelled many
words
Which is better?
• Visual learners tend to benefit from
the whole language approach
• Auditory learners learn what they
hear so they rely more on phonetics
Does this mean you should
categorize your child, and push
for one teaching method?
• NO- most children learn through a
combination of techniques
• The different strengths that each
method offers, suggests that a
mixed approach for each child will
probably be most beneficial!
What do others
have to say?
• “Many combinations and permutations are necessary
to provide an optimal learning environment for an
entire class of readers.” (educationworld.com)
• “To provide balanced reading instruction, schools
must give thoughtful consideration to such elements
as curriculum, assessment, and professional
development.”(ncrel.org)
• “Good instruction in reading must combine these two
approaches and balance the instruction. So in a
classroom I would hope to see lots of reading and
writing, but also some focused word study going on.”
(Dr. Woody Trathen)
Combining Phonics with
Whole Language Programs
• Balance your reading program by focusing on literature
and fun. Read to students often, choral read with them,
and give them time to read both alone and in pairs.
• Guard against boredom- Spend only a brief time each day
on phonics and do no more than one worksheet daily.
• Use many word games in your teaching. For most
children, phonics is easier to learn if they are having fun.
• If students are not able to learn phonics easily, try other
reading approaches, like recorded books or story writing.
• Develop a classroom library. Have children browse, read,
and discuss books.
Combining Phonics with
Whole Language Programs
• Balance the reading program by providing as much
structure as needed and some step-by-step skill work,
especially for analytic students, while emphasizing
literature and fun.
• Provide sufficient tools for decoding words, using small
amounts of direct instruction in phonics for auditory and
analytic learners. Tape-record phonics lessons so that
students can work independently to improve skills.
• Don't use invented spelling for long periods with highly
analytic learners or students who have memory problems.
Works Cited
•
Donat, Dorothy J. Reading Their Way: a Balance of Phonics and Whole Language. Lanham:
The Scarecrow P, Inc., 2003.
•
Krashen, Stephen D. Three Arguments Against Whole Language & Why They are Wrong.
Portsmouth: Heinemann, 1999.
•
Dr. Woodrow Trathen, Appalachian State University
•
Krashen, Stephen D. "Defending Whole Language." 4 Apr. 2006
<http://www.sdkrashen.com/articles/defending_whole_language/defending_whole_language.
pdf>.
•
"Whole Language." Wikipedia. 23 Feb. 2006. 4 Apr. 2006
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_language>.
•
Cromwell, Sharon. “Whole Language and Phonics: Can They Work Together?” 2 Apr. 2006
<http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr029.shtml>
•
“North Central Regional Educational Laboratory” 12 Apr. 2006
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/timely/briover.htm
•
Reyhner, Jon. “The Reading Wars.” 26 March 2006
<http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Reading_Wars.html>

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